Galaxy FORUM

Although it aired a good few weeks ago, it’s time to take a look back at the 2015 Christmas Special, The Husbands of River Song...

A River of Tears

◼ PAUL REYNARD MANCHESTER

Christmas is a time of joy, merriment and frivolity. It can also be a time of pain, loss and regret. The recent Doctor Who Christmas Special embraced all of these elements: the Doctor’s grandiose faux amazement at the TARDIS’ interior, River’s bittersweet thoughts on her diary, the belligerent bellowing of King Hydroflax, and the Time Lord’s exasperated revealing of his true persona. A real Christmas treat. Thank you to all involved!

◼ KEVIN McDOUGALL EMAIL

The Husbands of River Song was, hands down, not only the best Christmas Special the show has had in several years, but one of the very best River Song stories too. River’s acceptance that her love for the Doctor is unrequited was heartbreaking.

◼ RICHARD ORR MERSEYSIDE

If that was really the last time we’ll see River Song, then what a goodbye! Full of humour, adventure and love, The Husbands of River Song broke my heart, and left me sobbing into my Christmas pudding.

◼ SEAN HOPKINSON-DUNDERSALE EMAIL

What a brilliant Christmas Day episode The Husbands of River Song turned out to be. A jolly jaunt with a poignant ending and a fitting finale (potentially, timey-wimey permitting) for River. Blimey, we even saw the Twelfth Doctor laughing and smiling!

◼ ANDREW ROE EMAIL

Not only was The Husbands of River Song the first episode of Doctor Who I have really enjoyed since The Day of the Doctor, but it was also the first episode since then that actually made me laugh. After two below-par seasons, it was nice to have the programme back on form.

Alex Kingston was as wonderful as ever as River Song, and Philip Rhys was nice eye candy. Let’s hope the upcoming season is just as good as this episode.

◼ ELEANOR CLARK (12) EMAIL

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jenna Coleman, Peter Capaldi and the whole of this year’s Doctor Who team for making the 2015 run one of the best of all time.

About Doctor Who Magazine

Contents include: John Hurt interview; the War Doctor on audio; Steven Moffat answers readers' questions; Feature – The story of Doctor Who videogames; Comic Strip – Theatre of the Mind written and illustrated by Roger Langridge; A tribute to Anthony Read; The Fact of Fiction – The King's Demons; Time Team – The Beast Below; Missing in Action – The Myth Makers; Relative Dimensions; Wotcha; Reviews and Previews; Crossword